Gone Camping
by Fathoms
Summary: Our heroes load up into Klein's beat up silver van and head out camping, But there's much more then they bargained for waiting for them at the campsite. Follows Kirito, Sinon, Asuna, Liz and Klein on an adventure to remember.
1. Arriving

"No no no, the next one!"

"But, we've already passed like 20" reasoned Asuna, shooting a slightly exasperated look at her blacksmith friend.

"I know, I know, but still! can you believe how poor quality these have been? that first one was at least five times smaller, than Kirito's room and-" "you've been in there?"

Sinon cut in, her usual chilled tones bringing the car temperature down a couple of degrees, she had been sitting in the back of the van silently as they had surveyed the possible sites.

"Ah...that is, haha ha, no I haven't Sinon", Lisbeth said, backpedaling speedily, Her brown eyes flashed a little but she knew better than to pick a fight with someone who specialized at shooting you between the eyes from long distance.

Klein nudged Liz who he was sitting next to and rolled his eyes,

"Anyways!" Liz continued bravely, "As a merchant you start to understand quality in a whole different light and the ones that we've seen so far are nothing good."

"How about this next one? Kirito asked, stopping this potentially dangerous conversation before it could develop and get out of hand.

In the front of the car he and Asuna were wisely staying out of the verbal fray between the girls.

Barely glancing out of the window Sinon said, "It looks nice."

"Do you really think that? Or are you only going with it because Kirito said so." Liz jabbed back.

A little color touched Sinon's pale cheeks, "Yea, I like it. It has a beautiful overlook, definitely a good place to snipe from..."

She let the words hang in the air a little.

Everyone exchanged nervous looks, they were all equal parts worried about and scared of Sinon.

"She's on to something though!" shouted Klein, All eyes were immediately on him. "it overlooks the lake and maybe there will be hotties!"

All of the girls in the car spared him a withering look.

"Creep" Sinon said, "I know right!" Liz chimed in. Seemingly forgetting that they had been fighting two seconds before.

For whatever reason though, sniping, women, Kirito's recommendation or just everyone was sick of liz vetoing every campsite, they slowed to a halt outside of campsite B-23.

Asuna, Kirito,Klein, Lisbeth and Sinon climbed out of the beaten up silver van which unfortunately for it was owned by Klein, besides being stuffed with fighting people, it was also packed full of duffel bags, backpacks and coolers in carrying sizes and colors. Each of them had brought their own tent and a couple of essentials.

The five of them hauled the bags out of Klein's van and up the small hill to where the campsite was marked out.

Liz and Klein grumbled as they heaved the packs, but everyone else was silent. you could really tell where the maturity was in the group.

The camp site didn't look like anything special, an old wooden sign with B – 23 painted onto in in peeling white paint which had endured the elements a little too much, a table, well past its prime, and an iron circle in the ground, crusted over in the remnants of the many fires that it had held.

With each trip, someone would stumble up the short path to the site, laden with bags. And Throw them down unceremoniously on the mosey wooden table.

Or if you were Liz or Asuna, you would sit down and wait for a cursing Klein or a silent Kirito and Sinon to carry your bags.

Despite the small size of the earlier camp sites, especially that first one which was "five times smaller than Kirito's room"

This one was not like it, campsite B-23 was large, overlooking the shimmering lake below and surrounded by a thick veil of leafy trees.

Once the last bag was stacked on the creaking table the guild commander in Asuna showed itself, "So first order of business, Lets set the tents up!" She motioned with her hands in a sweeping fashion. "we will set them up around the little fire ring."

"Like a little village!" Liz chimed in.

Her enthusiasm however, Was short lived and in the end Klein had to finish hammering the stakes that anchored her bubblegum pink tent firmly to the earth. He complain the whole time. "you're a blacksmith for god sake, I thought hammering was your thing, But nooooo, just make Klein do it."

To the right of the pink eyesore on the otherwise beautiful landscape, was the light blue one of Sinon, Which she had just assembled. Next to that Kirito just finished erecting the dark mass that was his tent. The cream bubble that Asuna had packed stood against the wind and next to that, was Klein's own red one, which looked like a drop of blood on the ground.

"I don't see why I have to assemble two of these" Klein continued to whine as he put the finishing touches onto his own tent.

But of course, His words fell upon deaf ears. 

The Tents where small, Barely big enough to squeeze the occupant, their sleeping arrangements and a backpack of personal belongings.

"Does anyone know how to make a fire?" there was an audible note of worry in Kirito's voice.

He was many things, A swordsman, a beater who solo'ed on the front lines for extended amounts of time.

But he was also not many things, and one of them was someone who could light fires.

I'll do it, Sinon said, bailing Kirito out. Klein, Get me some dry sticks and leaves, we need those to start it. And then Im going to need some larger logs to keep it going.

Klein had just finished his own tent, after setting up Lisbeth's and carrying some of her bags.

WHY DO I DO EVERYTHING HEREE?! he looked over at Kirito.

who quickly busied himself with talking to Asuna.

Lisbeth giggled and went into her tent.

And he knew that trying to guilt the ruthless sniper with his puppy eyes was a lost cause altogether.

Klein's salvation came quickly, and even though none of his friends had taken pity on him, Nature seemingly had.

The sky which had been deceptively blue and clear darkened all at once.

First a drop and then a shower and then a downpour.

The clatter and thunder of torrential rain filled everyone's ears as they ran for the shelter of their tents.

And just in time too, Big heavy drops battered the earth and soaked anything exposed from the small shelter cast by the tents.

A pink tent, a black tent, a red tent, a blue tent and a cream one all arranged in a circle around a very very wet fireplace, They stood forlornly against the wind and rain that had whipped up in only a moments time.

The old wooden table which had been covered in supplies fared a little better, two rubber made bins which held all of the food for the trip and most of the camping equipment was kept nice and dry, safely encased in green plastic.

The clothes though, or the majority of them at least which made up the assorted duffel bags littered around the table were unluckily ruined.

All hope wasn't lost though, Everyone had a personal backpack stashed in their tents. It was kept nice and dry as the other clothes began a washing cycle on the mossy table.

And so...They just sat there, Separated by the storm and thin plastic tent walls, hours stretched on as the rain slammed against the earth.

It broke the back of the poor old table. With a crack the table which so strongly had held all of the packs piled high onto it. Snapped, spilling clothes, the camp stove, the propane tanks, and the majority of the food down the side of the overlook and towards the lake below, Which now instead of shimmering, was a boiling and frothing pool of dark liquid.


	2. Six hours earlier

A / N : Thank you everyone for reading and reviewing (if you have) it really means a lot, I know this isn't the best work and also my grammar Is pretty atrocious but Ill do my best.

Right now the chapters are around maybe 1000+ Words but I'm thinking of maybe going to around 3000+ or 5000+ for some extra long chapters, Tell me what you think, Id take longer but maybe people would like the longer chapters better instead of a bunch of short ones.

Anyways on with the story:

-6 hours earlier-

"Just how long is this car ride!" Liz burst out, as it could be seen, patience wasn't her strong point. Exceptional as she was at forging weapons, long extended car rides with little else to see but trees outside of the windows was not up her alley.

"we'll get there when we get there" Klein sighed tapping the wheel with his thumbs. He ever so softy lifted his foot from the accelerator.

"why are we slowing down!" Liz's voice was as sharp as the swift punch that she laid into Klein's upper arm.

"OW!"

Klein would not be teasing Liz anymore on this particular trip. And if he had dreams of once going pro in baseball or any sport really which required use of the arms, Liz just shattered them.

"you're being awfully quiet." Kirito had turned around in his seat and was looking at Sinon who had been gazing out of the window.

"oh um, There really wasn't anything to say" She said a little taken aback at being addressed all of a sudden

Asuna who was sitting next to Kirito nudged him it was a "pay attention to me" nudge.

"So like I was saying" She continued "I want to get this white ruffled dress that I saw in the store when Liz and I went shopping, It was so pretty!"

Sinon slowly turned back to look out the window, Kirito shot her a hopeless look and swiveled back to Asuna who was now describing her dream date in extensive detail.

"I want it to be a June day, So you know its really warm and we don't have to be burdened down by too many clothes but It shouldn't be too hot, Its not nice if the whole time we are just melting."

And on and on and on she talked, Sinon felt really out of place, In the back of the spacious van, sitting alone next to the window, She had only really met these people a couple of months ago and besides Kirito they were almost strangers.

He of course had invited her along. And when she had refused he had insisted, Out of all of them, He was the only one that really bothered to message her and talk to her once in awhile,

she knew that Asuna kept him busy and arranged dates and the like almost every day that she could,and when she wasn't with Kirito she and Liz would be seen all over the town, laden down with shopping bags.

Despite Kirito's busy life he had still done his best to include her in things, He knew how she felt.

Maybe

She was lonely.

She really had no friends to her name, even school was an antisocial afar for her, The problem with public school is that you are stuck around the same people for year after year.

And when anything sits for too long, It gets sour and molds over, People are like that too, Once happy friends will fight and never speak again, and after time goes by, everyone in the class has unpleasant memories of everyone else.

But besides that, She was an outcast, Someone who had screamed and almost thrown up when guns had been discussed in history class, She was that quiet girl, sitting alone. The weirdo.

Once upon a time she had been friends with Shinkawa, well...He had turned into a murderer and attempted to kill her, Something like that can really put the damper on a relationship.

Even then, If it hadn't been for Kirito's timely arrival, She wouldn't be alive at all.

Sometimes she wished that he would just leave her alone.

She didn't need him or anyone else

She could get by perfectly fine without anyone

She could just keep telling herself that.

Someone like Asuna would never understand, Kirito might but Asuna never, that feeling someone gets, When the house is empty and the world is so still and silent and no matter what you do to try and push away the silence it will always return.

Try to put on some music to ward it away, It will only make the silence louder

Try to turn on more lights, the shadows being cast will only grow longer

That silence that fills a night where the only sound in the world is your breathing.

That was the silence that filled Sinon's life.

These thoughts where scattered when the van went over a large bump, And its return to the pavement brought with it a loud crash

"Don't you know how to drive this!" Liz said as she screamed at Klein, "These roads are old!" He replied voice just as loud

"alright" said Asuna "everyone calm down, Klein and Liz, we all know you two are just hopelessly in love so stop fighting."

"no!" chorused both of the now red faced combatants as they stuttered and stammered out denials

"why would I want to be with him!" "Shes just a weak little-" "I dare you finish that!"

"hey now everyone, How about we put on some music!"

Kirito's calm voice seemed to soothe them a little, and they both leaned back into the seats

"what kind of music?" Klein asked flicking on the radio deftly

"Electronic" Said Kirito

"I like pop" from Asuna

"I second that!" Said Liz

"I um well...I kinda like country" That was Klein, No one would be listening to him on anything music related ever again.

"And Sinon likes Pop too!" Said Asuna,

Because she totally knew the types of music that Sinon liked

They had spoken for maybe, 10 minutes? Or so, and even then Asuna was only trying to be nice.

Someone like her, So beautiful and popular would never be caught dead with someone like Sinon.

"alright, then its decided!" Liz flipped the station and soon the car was filled with some female voice singing about a man that left her

Asuna and Liz sang along together, voices although pretty, Completely out of tune.

Klein, Kirito and Sinon Winced a little internally.

"All I ever wanted!"

"waaaaaas yoooooou!"

"waaaasss youuuuu!"

"I think we're almost there!" Klein yelled over the white noise that was considered music

"and the weather is looking great!"


	3. After the rain

A / N

That last chapter got pretty dark..

Sinon was painted in a darker light, Kinda the sad outcast blah blah

I made Liz and Asuna more generic and stupid then they really are in the anime and light novels just so that they contrast with Sinon more, Kirito is a little more..passive? And dragged along by Asuna it seems

anyways that's enough of that for now

I hope you are enjoying, This is going to be a Little longer chapter, I'm going to shoot for around 1500+ words and slowly work up to maybe 5000+ longer chapters

While this thing is just starting out, I think consistent short updates are nice but ill be slowly making them longer.

Anyways slight Sinon x Kirito, Ill just be leaving it at tones but maybe more on that later?

Who know, I have no idea where I'm taking this story.

Thank you everyone who reviewed/favorited. You make my day

anyways, lets get on with the story:

The cloud threw their last drops against the ground and called it a night.

The weak sun emerged from behind the clouds that had been chocking it and spread some feeble light across the forested landscape. The pine trees burst into golden fire when the rays washed over them.

Kirito was first to wake up, Messed up as his sleep cycle was in the summer from so many late nights and early mornings of playing various games. At this time, which his mobile phone showed him that it was 6:34

at this time he might be just getting off of a game and going to bed.

Bed..In the morning, only Kirito.

Sugu might be poking and prodding him trying to wake him up and feed him a breakfast that she had made.

But she wasn't here, she was many miles away, he felt a little bad for her, waking up in an almost empty house, she wouldn't have him to rely on.

Not that she really needed him though, the little kendo champion could take care of herself

Instead of his own comfortable Grey bed, He was in a moderately comfortable Grey sleeping bag, placed on a very uncomfortable hard floor to his tent. The ground underneath felt cold and hard and he swore that the ground directly under his back had a root in it.

He just lay there for awhile. What should he do?

Wake the others? No he decided, let them sleep and all wake up at their own times. They had gone though a long car ride yesterday.

Sleep felt like a better and better option by the second, and despite the morning light shining overhead and the chirp of birds, Kirito the black swordsmen snuggled back into his sleeping bag and closed his eyes.

Little did he know that one tent over, Sinon had been awake for around an hour, she just lay there though, She didn't even consider waking the others, That would be just too weird ,and anyways

the morning felt clear and unbroken. Why ruin it with the voices of Klein or Liz-

"What the hell!" That was Klein

Oh well thought Sinon there goes the nice peaceful morning

"Shut up!" Yelled back Liz from inside her tent, "Some of us are trying to sleep!"

"Look at this!" yelled Klein, ignoring the comment, a very sleepy Liz poked her head out of the tent, "what he -" "what happened to all our stuff!"

"Looks like it was washed away in the night" Asuna had also poked her head out of her tent, Her chestnut hair was a birds nest and her eyes were unfocused and bloodshot, She did not look so great in the morning.

Sinon climbed out of the blue tent and went to inspect the damage that the storm had done to them

all of the food, all of the clothes, all of the equipment had be blown and washed down into the lake

"I swear I can see those green containers bobbing happily in the lake"

"That's just not fair"

Klein asked the obvious "so what are we gonna do?"

"hmm, I think our best option is to leave the camp the way it is and we should stop by a store nearby and grab the essentials"

Liz pumped a fist in the air, "that's Asuna for you, always with the good ideas!"

"b-b-but whose paying for all this?" asked Klein, the tremor in his voice making it all too clear that he knew very well who in fact would be paying.

"you of course dummy, who else do you think?" Was the quick reply

Klein sighed, something he had been doing more and more recently

"alright, all of you into the car"

They were all halfway down the hill before any of them remembered the still sleeping Kirito

"Ill go get him" " Ill wake him up"

Sinon and Asuna both said at the same time

"you get him" Sinon said

"no you should" Asuna replied smiling, it was a little forced and the smile was stretched tight on her face.

She and Liz climbed into the car occupying the middle two seats of the beaten up van,

It looked even more beaten up after the storm from the previous night

Klein climbed into the front seat and started up the car, it sputtered and died

"damn!" He turned the key again, same effect, He punched the dash and tried again

Sinon jogged up the muddy path that had been washed out by the rain and made her way quickly to the black tent next to her own blue one.

"Um Kirito? You awake?" No answer

Damn, What was she supposed to do, It wasn't like she could just burst in on him if he was sleeping or not, It wasn't like a door though either, She couldn't knock and let him know she was there, If he was sleeping she would just have to go in there and wake him.

Why oh why hadn't Asuna done this, she wouldn't have been so awkward, She could have just unzipped his tent and shaken him awake without over thinking it this much.

Despite all of this, Mixed into the boiling pot of emotions that was bubbling in Sinon's head right now there was a dash of excitement. And for reasons beyond her comprehension, She relished the idea that It was her, and not Asuna that was going to be waking up Kirito.

And without another moments hesitation and with one swift movement she dragged the zipper that closed his tent around in a semicircle opening it to the world,

The first thing she noticed was the face, Kirito when awake would often wear a smile, forced or otherwise, sometimes it would be a teasing face, Sometimes it would be serious or sad and others still he would look like death, Tired and gaunt eyes of a haunted boy who has seen to much for his age.

She was a little scared of him when he looked like that, his hair seemed grayer, every step he took labored and even his breathing heavier, When he thought back to the events of the Sword Art Online incident, he would often get like this.

The others didn't, Asuna could smile and laugh about the time that they had spent trapped in the game, Klein could too and so could Lisbeth, But Kirito couldn't, The loneliness and fear had tattooed themselves onto him and at his worst times they would show behind his eyes.

She thought once that maybe he had post traumatic stress disorder, or something like it, It certainly would make a lot of sense, but then again. He was Kirito, he couldn't possibly...He was too strong..Too resilient to the odds stacked against him or the forces overwhelming that he was up against.

But yes, The first thing she saw was his face, He looked like a baby when he slept, his eyes jittered with the movements of dreams and his face was slack, Expressionless, Like a canvas that the artist has not yet touched or altered. His black hair was a mess, sticking up all over his head.

Looking at him like that it was hard to see the person under there, The person who had been through everything that he had.

"Wow" thought Sinon, "I really admire him don't I?"

she moved forward to tap his shoulder swiftly. And tripped

she fell face first into him, his chest rushed up to meet her as she slammed into him, getting tangled in his sleeping bag.

In retrospect, Tapping his shoulder might not have awoken him, but falling on top of him, that certainly did, He leaped up quickly reaching for a sword that he no longer carried.

It took him a second to figure out where he was and what was going on and most importantly of all why Sinon had just crashed into the ground with roughly the force of an atomic bomb

"Hey Sinon" he said yawning and reaching down to pull her to her feet

Leave it to Kirito to make such a weird thing seem so natural

A very hot and very flustered Sinon got to her feet

"G-G-G-goodmorning!"

Kirito just laughed he looked around her out of the tent to see the rest of the campsite, Sinon would swear that she saw him relax a bit when he noticed the absence of a jealous Asuna and Sinon was just fine with that.

"Whats going on? Where is everyone? And where did all of our camping supplies go?"

"During the night the storm blew everything away, We're all going to go shopping and get some new gear to try and make this disaster work, everyone is down in the van, waiting on us."

"we better hurry up and go see them!" Kirito said brushing past Sinon and down to where the van, Thankfully now started and idling was waiting.

Sinon would have loved to stay there and spent the day talking to him, But she followed after him, down the incline and to the silver dented, outdated...Thing that passed for a van.


	4. Cain's Camping Store

A/N So I was having some trouble with my story, It said that chapter 3 was done being uploaded and it was there but when I went to look at the story its not...

Who knows! Anyways lets get on with this, I'm having some misgivings about this story but who knows, maybe it'll pull through.

I know last chapter it got very Sinon x Kirito, but like I said, Overtones man, overtones,

They will take a step back

um in other news thank you for reviewing and I might be trying to move the characters a little closer to what they actually are

Also, hmm, as was pointed out to me, Sinon as an outcast has some flaws

Maybe Ill try to show a progression of her becoming friends with them.

I'm going to shoot for 2000 words this chapter in the slow effort of making these longer.

Lets go:

Luckily for our heroes there was a small town only a couple miles away, To call it a town however was very generous, It was a collection of beaten up houses, Which seemed to have been dominated by trees and chocking grass for a long time now, The streets where silent and empty and the dusty shop windows had displays of fashions that hadn't seen in the last twenty or so years.

"There will NOT, be a camping supplies store here"

"Just look over there." Sinon (who had the best eyes) pointed out of the window and to the left,

It was a colossal green sign which towered over even the surrounding houses, On it emblazon in red lettering was "Cain's Quality Camp Supplies!"

"there's something from the last century" Kirito said dryly "Lets check it out"

Every couple of feet forward that the car would move, It would go over some new bump or hole in the torn up asphalt

"They – ahhh, really need to -oufff repave these roaads!"

Said Asuna hanging onto Liz for dear life as the two of them were tossed back and forth like rag dolls

The poor van endured though, and persisted driving up the roads towards what could possibly be their last chance to salvage this mess of a camping trip,

Cain's Camp supplies pulled into view, Klein's first thought was that someone had painted a mountain and hollowed it out.

The store was gigantic, Seemly in proportion to the sign which advertised it

"Its like one of those warehouses that you see along the coast line" Sinon said

Even she seemed a little amazed by the ridiculous size of this monolithic structure

The parking lot, Which was (Who would have guessed it) the size of a small airport but despite its size, It was empty

"this is strange, Who would build something this size out in the middle of nowhere?"

"I have no idea" Sinon responded to Asuna, Maybe she thought, The flash wasn't as big an air head as she had thought. When you think about it, She really wasn't, She was smart enough to survive the death game that she gave Kirito so much credit for surviving, Why didn't she give the same appreciation to Asuna? Or Liz? Or Klein for that matter.

Asuna continued, "They'll never get any good business out here, and the cost of building this thing would be enormous."

Why do I see Kirito in such a different light from the rest of them?

Why is he the hero or the one to admire and I can scorn Asuna or Liz?

Sinon shook her head,trying to rid herself of these thoughts

"So" Kirito said "what are the things that we need?" 

"Clothes" Liz said jumping right in  
"Food" said Asuna

"batteries?" said Klein

"Maybe some basic equipment like a camp stove to replace the one that's in the lake"

"I think we should get some bug spray! I hear it gets really buggy sometimes"

"Here's what we'll do, we can all split up and go looking for things, add them to our carts and then meet back up and decide what we want"

I bash so much on Asuna Sinon said, And yet, Shes always the one coming up with the plans...

"you coming?" came a voice that made the sniper jump and look up

everyone else was walking towards the store and Asuna was waiting for Sinon, holding the car door open for her

"Y-yea" Sinon jumped nimbly out of her seat and followed Asuna towards the store.

Everyone had already entered when they arrived, off to go find camping supplies,

They were both silent as they walked though the automatic doors and into a room larger than any Sinon had been in before, the whole store was just one Goliath of a room, the ceiling was far above her where bright white lights where anchored into it, The room was...Breathtaking just by the scale of it, It was one floor, but it had to be at least ten stories high, like many stores, It was arranged in rows and rows of aisles towering up over them almost to the roof, They were stocked to the brim with packages of every size shape color and texture. It was almost scary, It one of those collapsed it would be like being caught in an avalanche, all be it an avalanche of packaged camping supplies

This had to be the biggest store that she had ever seen, What was it doing out in the middle of nowhere?

"we should split up, it looks as if everyone else has already gone off and started looking for stuff" Said Asuna "In a place like this you might get lost hah"

She strode off down the first Isle which was helpfully named "essentials for zealots"

Sinon listened as the soft footsteps that Asuna made slowly faded into the distance, This was so bizarre it felt surreal, Here she was inside of a mammoth super store in the middle of nowhere with Kirito and his friends, looking for camping equipment because all of theirs had been swept away in a freak storm

This was just too weird.

Weirder still was the lack of people, You'd think that some people might be shopping here? Or that at least would be working here? Build a giant store and just leave it? No one would do that.

She looked around for a checkout isle of sorts but it wasn't it sight, it must be around the back she reasoned, obscured by the innumerable rows of aisles that reached up the sky.

She started feeling cold, Just standing there so she set off, instead of looking for supplies she looked at the names of the isles and some of the merchandise on display.

"Everything you need for ectobiology!" Read the front of a particularly disturbing box covered in depictions of growing human babies

"Necromancy and you! Speak to,control and raise the dead for only 19.99!"

after that one she stopped reading the boxes

They must be just jokes, Maybe this whole thing was a prank store? You know those crazy billionaires with no better use of their money than to build these things. And make fake products, In billionaire circles, things like this are probably just a hilarious joke.

Its ironic really, A building that is a complete waste of money must be amusing to someone who has never had to worry about finances

Sinon looked down the isle, It was so long, she couldn't even see the other end, Just the isle stretching on and on and on, The shelves still packed to the brim with all sorts of weird gimmicks.

Every isle had a little sign attached to the front of it, "Isle 35 – Everything you need to become an ax murderer!"

She walked down the isle, Axes of every size and shape, huge fire axes and medieval looking axes, Plastic models obviously for expanding into the children demographic of consumers.

Books, Lots of books "Erasing your trail!" and "Burn the bodies!" as well as the apparently tried and recommended by 9/10 killers "Killing with style and spice"

A lump started to form in her stomach, this wasn't funny anymore, The weird displays, the weird products, this whole thing, The giant store and just ever-

Where were they!

The thought struck her and she immediately began to panic, This was strange for her, Sinon was probably the most levelheaded and cool person she knew, besides maybe Kirito, But fear bordering on panic wrenched at her heart, Where had they all gone? It was completely still and silent, she couldn't hear the footsteps or voices of anyone, She would have expected to hear in some far of corner of this giant store for the damned the voices of Klein and Liz stirring up a ruckus and causing trouble'

It usually would have annoyed her, but at that exact moment, she would have done anything to hear either of them make an obnoxious statement, or for her to see Kirito or Asuna from around one of these towering and gloomy silent isles, She began to jog down the isle, Moving kept her calm – for the moment.

She passed the "Firearms" sign and almost lost it.

Breathe! Just breathe! Dammit!

She was underwater, an iron grip was gripping her lungs and squeezing life from her body, her head was dizzy and she staggered forward, trying to get away from that isle full of death.

For the second time today, she tripped and went skidding across the smooth and polished floor.

She lay there for a little while, as her heart slowed and her head settled back and stopped reeling.

Slowly getting to her feet, she stumbled away from the isle.

"Kirito!" "Asuna!" Then getting even more desperate, "Liz!" "Klein!"

She called out, stumbling down the little lane between isles, She was lost, Hopelessly between isles 66-u and 99-x What does that even mean? What way is it back to the entrance? Which way are any of them? The panic was really getting to her now, making her breath come in hurried gasps and making each step a little harder.

Where are they!

"Kirito!" "Liz!" "Asuna!" "Where are you guys?" she was practically screaming now

collapsing on the floor from exhaustion, she brain leaped into action, She was overreacting, It was a big store, and a scary store, with messed up products, but it was perfectly logical to get out of, all she would have to do is follow an isle along until she reacted a wall and then she could just follow that wall until she reacted a door that she could get out of, She could wait in the car until they all left and they could forget about this camping trip and they could all drive home.

The next isle was "Making explosives with the family"

Not even sparing a look to the various displays of do it yourself explosives that were family friendly and easy so even the younger siblings can enjoy she raced down the isle,

She ran...And ran...and ran...and stopped when she couldn't run anymore, She had arrived at an intersection, This row of isles ended and a new one started, This one "drugs – Make your life have a little more color"

She started off again, She must be getting near to the wall soon, the sprint she had started at had slowed into a jog and then a pained walk but she kept going.

"Kirito!" "Klein!" "Asuna!" "Liz?"

She called out again, of course there was no reply

Her walking turned into something of a shambling crawl as her legs burned from the lactic acid that was building in them.

Everything was still, Everything was silent

And she was terrified.

Worst of all

The lights began to dim.


	5. The Arrival

Stevvv looked at the blank document before him, Head in hands and fingers massaging his aching head, Sinon was alone in the store that had swallowed her, Yes that was where the story had left off, but where to continue it,

People didn't like this story I had created, and honestly neither did I, I made it a monster, I tore apart and ruined characters that people loved in the show, loved in the light novels

I imposed my own feelings onto Sinon, making her embody how I felt at the expense of her own character, I wrote from my heart and not my mind, and the result was this mess.

The characters, I had twisted, I made them stupid, Only to illustrate Sinon as a light greater than all of them, And it all backfired, This was a really terrible story wasn't it?

I tried, I tired to write it as best I could, But I couldn't and didn't

In that last episode I tired to turn the car around and maybe make it interesting, something people might want to read, Maybe bring the characters a little more back to where they were rooted.

But it was too far gone, Asuna couldn't go from an airhead to a leader, and Liz couldn't go from an idiot to a good friend, now all it was was inconsistent.

What a mess this is, For a second I considered deleting it all, the story, the account, Just disappear and float away, Its not like I would be missed, and I probably wouldn't miss much myself.

I could just try again, different name, different story, Different everything

And as time went on, I would be forgotten

But, Maybe I shouldn't do that, against my better judgment, Maybe I should keep writing?

I enjoyed writing what I wrote so far, Reading it now, I see how bad it is, Poorly written, cardboard cut out characters, the whole package deal of just all around poor quality, and even if others didn't like it, I did

I never thought Id have fun writing it, I saw it as more of a chore honestly, something to fill in some time, I have a lot of time to myself you know, What I really wanted was for people to read, Read and respond and maybe even appreciate.

But now everything is flipped, They aren't the ones enjoying It but I am, Its strange

so let me try and compromise...

A/N Hello everyone! Welcome to my story, "Gone camping"

"No no no, the next one!"

"But, we've already passed like 20" reasoned Asuna, shooting a slightly exasperated look at her blacksmith friend.

"I know, I know, but still! can you believe how poor quality these have been? that first one was at least five times smaller, than Kirito's room and-" "you've been in there?"

Sinon cut in, her usual chilled tones bringing the car temperature down a couple of degrees, she had been sitting in the back of the van silently as they had surveyed the possible sites.

"Ah...that is, haha ha, no I haven't Sinon", Lisbeth said, backpedaling speedily,

Klein nudged Liz who he was sitting next to and rolled his eyes,

"Anyways!" Liz continued bravely, "have you Sinon?"

"um, no!" color rushed up into Sinon's cheeks flashing them a glowing red

"How about this next one? Kirito asked, stopping this potentially dangerous conversation before it could develop and get out of hand.

In the front of the car he and Asuna were wisely staying out of the verbal fray between the girls.

Barely glancing out of the window Sinon said, "It looks nice."

"Do you really think that? Or are you only going with it because Kirito said so." Liz jabbed back.

A little more color touched Sinon's already flushed, "Yea, I like it. It has a beautiful overlook, definitely a good place to snipe from..."

She let the words hang in the air a little.

Everyone exchanged nervous looks, they were all equal parts worried about and scared of Sinon.

"She's on to something though!" shouted Klein, All eyes were immediately on him. "it overlooks the lake and maybe there will be hotties!"

All of the girls in the car spared him a withering look.

"Creep" Sinon said, "I know right!" Liz chimed in. Seemingly forgetting that they had been play fighting two seconds before.

"so Sinon!" Liz continued "what are you looking forward to most with this camping trip?"

"a chance to astound you all with my survival skills perhaps" Sinon replied laughing

The atmosphere in the car was light, Uplifting even, this was nice, getting away from it all, everyone in this car played many hours of video games, and no matter how many virtual words you dive into, None compare to the real one.

For whatever reason though, sniping, women, Kirito's recommendation or just everyone was sick of Liz vetoing every campsite, they slowed to a halt outside of campsite B-23.

Asuna, Kirito,Klein, Lisbeth and Sinon climbed out of the beaten up silver van which unfortunately for it was owned by Klein, besides being stuffed with fighting people, it was also packed full of duffel bags, backpacks and coolers in carrying sizes and colors. Each of them had brought their own tent and a couple of essentials.

The five of them hauled the bags out of Klein's van and up the small hill to where the campsite was marked out.

Liz and Klein grumbled as they heaved the packs, but everyone else was silent. you could really tell where the maturity was in the group.

The camp site didn't look like anything special, an old wooden sign with B – 23 painted onto in in peeling white paint which had endured the elements a little too much, a table, well past its prime, and an iron circle in the ground, crusted over in the remnants of the many fires that it had held.

With each trip, someone would stumble up the short path to the site, laden with bags. And Throw them down unceremoniously on the mosey wooden table.

Or if you were Liz or Asuna, you would sit down and wait for a cursing Klein or a silent Kirito and Sinon to carry your bags.

Despite the small size of the earlier camp sites, especially that first one which was "five times smaller than Kirito's room"

This one was not like it, campsite B-23 was large, overlooking the shimmering lake below and surrounded by a thick veil of leafy trees.

Once the last bag was stacked on the creaking table the guild commander in Asuna showed itself, "So first order of business, Lets set the tents up!" She motioned with her hands in a sweeping fashion. "we will set them up around the little fire ring."

"Like a little village!" Liz chimed in.

Her enthusiasm however, Was short lived and in the end Klein had to finish hammering the stakes that anchored her bubblegum pink tent firmly to the earth. He complain the whole time. "you're a blacksmith for god sake, I thought hammering was your thing, But nooooo, just make Klein do it."

To the right of the pink eyesore on the otherwise beautiful landscape, was the light blue one of Sinon, Which she had just assembled. Next to that Kirito just finished erecting the dark mass that was his tent. The cream bubble that Asuna had packed stood against the wind and next to that, was Klein's own red one, which looked like a drop of blood on the ground.

"I don't see why I have to assemble two of these" Klein continued to whine as he put the finishing touches onto his own tent.

But of course, His words fell upon deaf ears. 

The Tents where small, Barely big enough to squeeze the occupant, their sleeping arrangements and a backpack of personal belongings.

"Does anyone know how to make a fire?" there was an audible note of worry in Kirito's voice.

He was many things, A swordsman, a beater who solo'ed on the front lines for extended amounts of time.

But he was also not many things, and one of them was someone who could light fires.

I'll do it, Sinon said, bailing Kirito out. Klein, Get me some dry sticks and leaves, we need those to start it. And then I'm going to need some larger logs to keep it going.

Klein had just finished his own tent, after setting up Lisbeth's and carrying some of her bags.

WHY DO I DO EVERYTHING HEREE?! he looked over at Kirito.

who quickly busied himself with talking to Asuna.

Lisbeth giggled and went into her tent.

And he knew that trying to guilt the ruthless sniper with his puppy eyes was a lost cause altogether.

Grumbling all the while he went off into the light brush that surrounded the campsite and bent over to collect some dry sticks, he was joined not too soon after by Kirito, who despite his advantage with the ladies hadn't escaped from his responsibilities to help out Klein

"Oh Sinon, your hair is really soft!"

"So is yours Asuna, I bet both of ours wont be though when this trip is over"

"You idiots!" Liz cackled maniacally , "I brought along a special soap that's supposed to condition your hair for long periods of time, good for camping trips! "

"when this trip is over, I alone will have smooth and nice hair!"

"so not fair!"

"Give us some"

They both dived for Liz

"ahh! Let me go!"


End file.
